REFLECTIONS IN DIVERSITY On the Power of Small Initiatives Malgosia Kaczmarek When it comes to effecting big change, sometimes you need to think small.

The inaugural Reflections in Diversity column in the September OPN, by Ursula Keller and Anthony Johnson, described a number of challenges facing underrepresented groups in science, including women and minorities. For example, it highlighted a whole spectrum of issues that must be addressed at di;erent levels, including attracting girls to science, encouraging them to study it at college and increasing the number of women who make science their career. At every stage, the goal is to successfully support women so that they can achieve their full potential and then serve as role models for younger generations.

A number of large-scale initiatives have aimed to address several of those issues at the same time— for example, a;rmative action in the United States and programs funded by the European Union’s (EU) framework programs (FP6 and FP7) that support gender equality in Europe. ;ey are ambitious in trying to solve the underlying problems related to the underrepresentation of women. However, in our day-to-day experiences within academia, it is often hard to see their impact.

For that reason, it is worth searching for incremental solutions that can produce small but measurable changes, while broader policies get worked out

John Newhart

It is critical to focus on supporting women who already have scientific careers. This is an area where local, university-based actions can make a real difference on the front lines of academia.

at a higher level. For example, we all know that outreach programs in schools can serve as a powerful inspiration to young girls. At the same time, it is also critical to focus on supporting women who already have scientific careers. ;is is an area where local, university-based actions can make a real di;erence at the academic “front line.”

Where we’ve been,
where we must go

Women in science have come a long way over the past 30 years. Take the example of Jocelyn Bell Brunell, the British astrophysicist who did not share the 1974 Nobel Prize with her male colleagues for the discovery of radio pulsars, despite the fact that she helped to build the telescope that detected the pulsars and that she was the one to notice and record the anomaly.

Academia has changed quite a bit since then. Not only have people’s attitudes evolved, but so has the support provided to scientists with children. While in some countries child care costs remain very high, at least such care is generally available—which wasn’t the case three decades ago. For countless women in past generations, the choice was hard